Remote sensing and multi-criterion analysis for identifying suitable rainwater harvesting areas

Abstract

Water scarcity and soil erosion are the main constraints small holder farmers are facing in Tigray, the northern most part of Ethiopia. Both very high and very low precipitation can cause a damage to agriculture which is the case in semi-arid regions like Tigray. While too little rainfall cannot support the growth of crops resulting in crop failure, the short but intense rainfall also causes a runoff thereby washing away essential soil nutrients. Installation of different micro/macro-catchment rainwater harvesting can address both water scarcity and soil erosion if they are properly designed prior to construction. This research was intended to develop a methodology for identifying suitable rainwater harvesting (rwh) sites by using weighted overlay analysis. It also utilizes Ahp (analytical hierarchy process) as effective multi-criterion decision-making tool in eastern Tigray at Kilte Awlaelo district on an area of 1001 km2. This method was chosen because it is simple to use, cost effective, flexible and widely adopted. Physical, hydrological, climate and socio-economic aspects were taken into account during criteria selection. The result indicated four suitability classes with 8.74% highly suitable areas (85.25 km2), 56% suitable areas (550.75 km2), 30.8% moderately suitable areas (303.2 km2) and 4.46% less suitable areas (43.87 km2). The produced rwh suitability map was also validated by both ground truth on google earth pro and a field trip to the study site. In situ and ex situ rwh including bench terraces, wells, and exclosure areas were identified during the field visit that verified the suitability model. Finally, depending on weight and scale of criteria and sub-criteria that matched to each identified suitable areas, different micro-catchment and macro-catchment techniques of water harvesting are recommended. This methodology can be utilized as decision-making tool for rwh practitioners, local and foreign organizations working on soil water conservation programmes and policy-makers during their early planning stages.

Assessment of the IMERG Early-Run Precipitation Estimates over South American Country of Chile

“…Precipitation is a vital resource of the hydrological cycle [1,2]. Excessive rainfall can lead to a decrease in water quality, which is detrimental to both human health and ecosystem well-being [3,4]. Precipitation measurement is therefore essential for weather forecasting [5].…”

Which Woody Species Are Preferred in the Composition of Agroforestry Systems in Sandy Soils of Dolj County?

“…the proposed woody species) are compared one to each other and a scoring system is used (Enescu, 2017;Patel & Blumberga, 2023;Wang et al, 2023). Due to its user-friendliness, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness (Debebe et al, 2023), AHP has found extensive application across various research domains over the past five decades. For instance, in Romania, AHP has been employed for selecting tree and shrub species for creating field shelterbelts (Enescu, 2018) or for salt-affected areas (Enescu, 2020).…”

Expert-Based Assessment of the Potential of Agroforestry Systems in Plain Regions across Bihor County, Western Romania

“…Being simple to use, flexible and cost effective [61], AHP was widely used in several research fields in the last five decades. For example, in Romania, AHP was used to choose different tree and shrub species for the establishment of field shelterbelts [62] or to propose the most suitable solution for afforestation of sandy soils in Oltenia Plain and Carei Plain [47].…”